West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-08-12
VIRGINIA POLITICS.

OlS8uSlCW WIN sitO NOANHSt Va wv
Virginia politicians who promoted
and managed the recent State con-
vention at Roanoke. With a stu
pidity without parallel, they have
made public proclamation that the
coming campaign is to be one of by
pocrisy and false pretenses. In one
breath they endorse President Cleve-
land, and in the next breath adopt
every plank in the Republican plat
form. This is equivalent to publish
inc that the resolutions are not in
tended to influence sensible voters,
but to deceive simpletOns. The same
man, if he knows what he is talking
about, cannot endorse the President
and at the same time advocate the
Blair bill, or favor a repeal Of the
internal revenue system:-bOth are
schemes to prevent a reduction of
the tariff tax levied, not for revenue,
but for the purpose of protection.
But apart from its insincerity, these
resolutions must do more harm than
good. The farmers of Campbell
county Va, recently met in mass
meeting and pledged themselves to
vote against every candidate who
was in favor of tariff for protection,
and at its last session, the Farmers
Association of Va, unanimously a
dOpted a resolution declaring that
agriculture could not maintain itself
unless the tariff w5s reformed.
There were present in Jhe Associa-
ton when it adopted this yc-olutiOn
representative farmers froil SO cut of
104 counties in Va. In Pee very
teeth Of these facts, the politicians
have planted the party on precisely
the proposition least likely to win
the agricultural vote But there was
another event at Roanoke which. al
though it will be probably out of
the newspapers, is likely to be
frequent topic in private converse
ton.
At its last session the Farmers
Association voted unanimously that
the Legislature should adopt the
provisions of the interstate COM
merce bill so far as applicable to To-
cal traffic, and thereby protect the
home people against railroad dis
elimination. The night before the
convention met, the farmers, then
present, in Roanoke as delegates,
held q meeting and resolved that a
plank should be inserted in the plat
form pledging the party to such leg
islation. But this did not suit the
railroad attorneys and the railroad
politicians, and they quietly and eff
fectively outwitted Agriculture.
When thesresolution was offered in
Convention it was referred to a COM
mittee, and the committee held it in
their pocket.
Upon the whole the Roanoke Con
ventiOn has placed the Virginia
Democracy in such a predicament
that we do not believe the State can
besaved from the Republicans unless
the candidates for the Legislature
repudiate the platform.
We have condensed and here pre-
sent:
THE ROANOKE RESOLUTIONS.
The Virginia Democracy points with
pride and confidence 10 a record of pied
yes faithfully performed and to the guar
antee of good government which il offers.
=. The administration of President
Cleveland deserves the support of the
democrats of Virginia.
We repeal the Internal Revenue syS-
tenn.
We favor raising revenue by tariff
limited TO the necessities of government
economically administered and so adjuS-
ted as to prevent unequal burdens, en-
courage productive interests at home,
the development Of our resources and TO
afford Just compensation for labor, but
not to foster monopoly.
We pledge the party 10 support the
public school system until every child
NAV receive free education, and we adj
VOcatc liberal appropriations by the Fed
eral Government to the States i'm accOr-
dance with the Blair bill or some better
measure.
We will foster and protect the agricul-
tural interests of Virginia
The party has always been the friend
OF the labOring man and stands pledged
10 prevent the conflict between convict
labor and the honest labor Of our me-
chanicS. We are opposed to the intro
ductiOn of foreign Dauper labor and re-
quest Congress 10 prevent the immigra-
ton Ofsuch people.
We deprecate the payment of taxes in
coupons as unwiSe and unpatriOtic.
The party pledges itself 10 urge on
Congress the Justice of its recognition of
Virginia'S demands for compensation
for her ceSSiOn of territory 20 the FEEDER
al Government and for her dismember-
ment from West Virginia.
The correspondent of the Louis
vile Courier gives expression to the
current of intelligent opinion in
WASHINGTON He saws.